Hyderabad: Bhadrachalam temple set to have dress code

June 1, 2017

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HYDERABAD: Jeans, t-shirts, shorts and skirts are out. In what would be the first temple in Telangana to implement a dress code, pilgrims visiting the Sree Seetha Ramachandra Swamy temple in Bhadrachalam from June 1 will be required to wear traditional dresses.

In neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) imposes a dress code for pilgrims visiting the temples in Tirumala and Tirupati, especially at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple at Tirumala.

Men have been advised to wear a dhoti or a lungi and a ‘Kanduva’ over their shoulders and covering their torso. The other option for men is to wear a plain white pyjama with a ‘lalchi’ or a kurta on top. Women can wear a saree or salwar kameez.

“We have decided to ask people to not wear tight clothes like jeans, t-shirts, shorts and skirts when they visit the temple,” executive officer of the Sree Seetha Ramachandra Swamy Vari Devasthanam K Prabhakar Srinivas told TOI.

He also said, “The idea is to preserve the traditional atmosphere of a Hindu temple and convey a message that traditional values matter, especially when visiting religious sites.”

Those not adhering to the dress code will not be permitted to enter the ‘Antaralayam’, the sanctum sanctorum area or attend events such as Nitya Kalyanam and special pujas. With regard to children, those under the age of 10 can wear regular clothes that are “modern in fashion but no tight pants or shirts or jeans will be allowed. Other youngsters can wear traditional dresses,” it was informed. “When we conduct a puja or celebrate a festival at home, we wear traditional dresses. All we are asking for now is that pilgrims follow a similar norm while visiting the temple,” Srinivas said.

Normally, the Rama temple at Bhadrachalam in Khammam district receives about 5,000 pilgrims a day.